Linda Williamson's Dutch Pea Soup (or Bean)

Why I Love This Recipe

This recipe comes from my Dutch great grandma :) This is a traditional Dutch recipe! It's suppose to be slow cooked stirring often until it becomes thick enough to stand spoon in it. Served w/ homemade bread it is quite a filling meal! I personally like it a lil thinner. Still thick! Never thin by no means!!! Just not so thick the spoon stands up. If making Bean soup just change the peas to beans! This Bean soup recipe became popular in the New England states as the immigrants 1st landed in the New England area. It is still popular there :) There are alot of different kinds of dried beans you can use find one you like or experiment by mixing all different kinds :) or mix peas and beans together.

*NOTE: Try to use unfluoridated water 'cuz peas and beans pick up alot of fluoride!

Directions

Large stock pot w/ included strainer

To measure how many peas you need fill stock pot w/out large straining basket 1/3- 1/2 full of peas then dump them in batches into strainer rinse well and put in bowl repeat till all peas are rinsed. Wash and dry your stock pot

Add Hot/ or boiling water to peas about an inch or two above peas. Set aside for a bit to cool dwn a lil. Put in fridge to soak overnight *NOTE: DO NOT PUT PEAS IN METAL BOWL TO SOAK AS IT SOMETIMES TARNISHES THE PAN AND MAKES SOUP A LIL OFF TASTING!!!

Put deep strainer in stock pot (if you have the combo if not just add to stock pot)

Put ham and onions in strainer in the stock pot add water to pot about 1/2 - 2/3 full and bring to a boil skim off any foamy stuff and cook on medium - low heat you want a light boil for about 1 hr Add kielbasa cook about 1/2 hr or until meat is cooked through Watch water lvl so it don't boil away! Add more if needed to keep everything covered.

If adding cabbage add it when you add kielbasa

When hams and Kielbasa are done just lift strainer basket up to strain liquid back into pot (if you don't have the strainer combo I posted above you'll need another stock pot or very large bowl cuz you need to keep all the broth so strain reserving the broth which ever way you use)

Put ham and kielbasa on plate and cover with tin foil then put in fridge

Put Cabbage and onion in a bowl use for cabbage and noodles side dish. If not using cabbage just dump onions back in pot

Put stock pot broth into bowl and put in fridge

Next day (Start early!)

Strain peas and put in stock pot without the strainer basket

Cover w/ broth add more water if needed

Add celery leaves and chopped onion

Bring to a boil then turn dwn to low heat to just simmer

Taste broth add salt and pepper to taste I don't use more than a few shakes of pepper but do add alot of salt if needed *Opt: can use chicken boullion in place of some of the salt

In 1 skillet add potatoes 2 tsp butter, about 1/4 cup of water and a few shakes of salt

Cook 'till almost done. Do not brown carrots but do roll around in butter a min or 2

Put potatoes and carrots in a bowl together cover and set aside

Stir soup often you don't want it to burn at all or you will ruin the whole batch!!!

If water boils down before peas are done add more water

Cut pieces of ham in chunks about as big as kielbasa and set aside

After peas are done simmer out the water and smash peas on side of pan as you stir

When at the thickness you like add potatoes, carrots, ham and kielbasa

Simmer and stir until everything is warmed back up and veggies are done

*NOTE: Since soup needs stirred often do the rest cutting up and other prep near the soup pan so you can stir often enough or have older child stir it for you when your busy w/ other stuff

*TRICK: To get it thick enough to stand a spoon in it..... After peas are done and you start to simmer it dwn put in baking pan take hand masher and mash peas up a bit then Bake at 350F Still gotta stir but not as often when it gets to right consistency add your veggies and meat stir in and cont to bake 'till veggies are done cooking. When you take it out of oven let it sit for awhile before serving *NOTE Don't overcook it will turn to cement LOL remember it thickens as it cools!